Popular video game franchise makes highly anticipated return

Monday marks a day of celebration for college football fans, with the official return of EA Sports’ college football franchise.

Although College Football 25 was initially slated to be released on July 19 , those who purchased the deluxe version of the game were given access three days early. While many took that to mean the game would be available on July 16, those who have purchased the deluxe version (including this author) have since learned that the highly anticipated video game will become playable at 4 p.m. ET on Monday, July 15.

The highly anticipated release of College Football 25 comes 11 years after the last installment of what was then known as the “NCAA Football” franchise. Despite being one of EA Sports’ most popular franchises, production of the game was halted following Ed O’Bannon’s class action antitrust lawsuit against the NCAA regarding name, image and likeness (NIL), including the use of thinly veiled avatars in video games, which players weren’t compensated for.

Players now having the ability to profit off of NIL, however, opened the door for not only the return of the popular franchise, but also a more realistic version of it. Long gone are the days of Shedeur Sanders being represented as “Colorado QB #2,” with players now having the ability to be compensated for opting into being included in the game.

All indications are that most college football players have opted into this year’s game, with Texas quarterback Arch Manning being the lone holdout to ultimately opt in . Some players — including Manning — are also being compensated for their roles in promoting the game, with one report indicating that the Longhorns sophomore quarterback received between $50,000 and $60,000 for his marketing presence.

Looking around the college football ecosystem on Monday, the excitement for the game is palpable, with current and former players, programs, media members and fans all celebrating the game’s return. After an 11-year hiatus, the time is finally here, as college football is finally (back) in the game.

The post Deluxe edition of ‘College Football 25’ available to play on July 15 appeared first on Awful Announcing .